Inner-tube cover



E. J. RUDOLPH.

INNER TUBE COVER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 13, 1921.

1,406,086. Patented Feb. 7, 1922.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

' INNER-TUBE COVER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 7, 1922.

Application filed. June 13, 1921. Serial No. 477,238.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ELMER J. RUnoLPH, a citizen of the United States, residmg at lVakefield, in the county of Clay and State of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Inner-Tube Covers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in covers or protectors for inner tubes of pneumatic tires and has for its primary object the provision of a device of the above stated character, whereby the inner tube of a tire may be conveniently held in shape to facilitate the placing of the same into a shoe without the danger of pinching the tube and also is adapted to prevent chafing and other 1n ur1es to the tube during the use of the latter within a shoe.

Another object of this invention is the provision of an inner tube cover of the above stated character, which will be simple, durable and efllcient, and which may be manufactured and sold at a comparatively low cost,

With these and other objects in view as will become more apparent as the description proceeds, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction, combination, and arrangement of parts as Wlll be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

For a complete understanding of my invention, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation, illustratlng an inner tube, constructed in accordance with my invention,

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view illustrating the same applied to an inner tube and placed within a shoe,

Figure 3 is a fragmentary plan view illustrating the cover in a spread condition.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral 1 indicates as an entirety a cover adapted to surround and protect an inner tube 2 while positioned within a shoe or casing 3. The cover or protector I is preferably constructed from rubberized fabric and is adapted to facilitate the placing of an inner tube within a shoe without the liability of pinching the former by holding the inner tube in proper shape when the latter is partially inflated. The cover or protector 1 is also adapted to reinforce and strengthen the inner tube and permit the same to carry a higher air pressure than ordinarily or when not provided with the cover. The cover further permits the inner tube to be inflated to a greater degree prior to placing the inner tube within the shoe which is advantageous owing to the fact that a partially inflated tube when placed in a shoe is not as liable to become pinched or incorrectly placed within the shoe as when the tube only carries a very low air pressure.

The cover 1 consists of a thread portion 4 and side walls 5 and 6. The side wall 5 is of a width less than the width of the side wall 6 and is provided with a plurality of relatively spaced openings or slots 7 to receive loops 8 secured adjacent to the free edge of the side wall 6 for the purpose of establishing a detachable connection between the side walls to facilitate the removal and placing of the inner tube within the cover. The loops after passing through the slots 7 in the side wall 5 have a tying string or cord 9 passed therethrough and the ends of the cord are connected or tied together in any suitable manner for the purpose of preventing the loops from drawing through the slots 7 consequently firmly holding the cover or protector about the inner tube. The free edge of the wall 5 is adapted to overlap the free edge of the wall 6 when the loops or tabs have been passed through the slots 7 of the wall 5. The connection between the free edges of the side walls 5 and 6 is disposed at one side of the inner tube so that the inner tube will be entirely protected where it comes in contact with the beads of the shoe and the space occurring between said beads when the shoe is applied to a rim.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that minor changes in construction, combination, and arrangement V other side Walls and extending th'roughthe slots, 2 tying cord extending through the loops to prevent the withdrawal of the loops from the slots.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two w tnesses,

ELMER 'J. RUDOLPH.

\Vitnesses V I JOHN H. MILLINGER, J12, ERNEST M. WILKINS. 

